Starlaunch - WIP launcher replacement [Now released on Windows, Mac and Linux]

[therimmer96]

Starlaunch is a complete replacement for the current starmade-starter. It allows you to have multiple starmade installations all managed and launched by starlaunch. Starlaunch will register new starmade related file extenions. Newly registered extensions include:

• *.sment - the current starmade blueprint file. this will now be opened by starlaunch and automatically added to your starmade installs, rather than having to use the starmade catalog manager. adding a details.txt file to your blueprints before packaging them into .sment files will make starlaunch display the contents of the file when it is installed with starlaunch.
• *.smmod - This is a new extension introduced by StarLaunch. this is a method of easily installing and distributing mods, UI rethemes and more.
• *.slskin - starlaunch will be completly skinnable, everything can be changed. This allows for factions to have launchers custom to them. We might do several themes for as default. instructions on how to create this file will be included in the help section of the program and either on a webpage or here when the format is completed
• *.smbkup - These are the backups generated by starlaunch of itself/starmade installs. Opening this file will restore the backup.

All new file extensions and sment files will have icons created by crusade.
rather than just the news feed, starlaunch will show the news, official starmade twitter stream and any current twitch streams currently live.

This is the current design plan for starlaunch's main screen.

Alot more is planned for this, but many are unconfirmed/undone as yet, so I wont get hopes up.

Requirements -
Windows vista or higher (xp is not supported)
.NET 4.5

The default skin(s) are being created by crusade. we should have the first version out soon with the basic features done. This project will grow and gain many more features as time passes.

Please read the whole thread, I will post updates there rather than they are here.

Thats all there is to show at the moment. Suggestions are welcome. anything that is possible will be added to the suggestion list.

HAVE A TESTBUILD!

It has some features turned off because they are incomplete. Here is a list of things that work

• Creation of installations
• Updating multiple installations
• Automatically downloading the latest version allowing you to update instantly as soon as you are ready
• Sets the background to a random screenshot from the installation that you selected
• Shows the news feed

things that have been turned off

• Blueprint management
• Skins

You have to run an installer to install starlaunch. This is to ensure that you have agreed to the starmade EULA (at schemas request), the file structure correct, and you get the latest version

Download here
Requires .NET 4.5

Windows Vista or better (no linux jokes :p)

Once installed, it will automatically download the latest version of star-made. Please wait until this is completed before creating an installation. To add an existing installation, add the starmade folder to the dir at C:\starmade\starlaunch\installs and rename the folder to the desired name of the installation. This will be automated in the next release, forgot to do it for this one :/

Have fun, and post bugs you find here

 

[Miow22]

cool, but the imo the buttons are a bit dazzling ;p

 

[Kondroid]

Yea I'd change the buttons. otherwise GJ

 

[Crusade]

Buttons are one of the skinnable things. I will create a simpler design xD

 

[therimmer96]

Crusade has told me he is going to create new carbon fibre based buttons, but in case people want these buttons, they will be packaged in the final version as well. The theme used here will also be used to build the first skin file, which will be released prior to thee release of the launcher along side a none functioning version of the launcher for skin testing. Any skins that we see people create and we like might get packaged with star launch on release

 

[Sven_The_Slayer]

Starmade just keeps getting better and better.

 

[therimmer96]

Starmade just keeps getting better and better.

This is not actually official. It is a community project. dont want people thinking otherwise

 

[Sven_The_Slayer]

This is not actually official. It is a community project. dont want people thinking otherwise

Good to know, I didn't see the category while on my phone, still it sounds worth trying out

 

[rocketman221]

Will you be making Linux and Mac versions too?

 

[der_scheme]

Will you be making Linux and Mac versions too?

That cause is already lost. (See the ".NET 4.5" there?)

 

[therimmer96]

The plan is to redo this in Java for Mac and Linux users once we have gotten a little bit more comfortable with it, but in its current .NET form, no, not unless it happens to turn out compatible with mono.NET

Sorry

 

[Pingperfect]

A built in server manager app would be excellent if you could implement it saves those who run their own home based servers from having to faff around, other than that looks excellent

 

[therimmer96]

A built in server manager app would be excellent if you could implement it saves those who run their own home based servers from having to faff around, other than that looks excellent

This may come later on, not in the initial release though.

 

[testkil]

why starlaunch ... why not starmade?

 

[therimmer96]

why starlaunch ... why not starmade?

Because, this isn't starmade. This only replaces the starmade-starter.exe. This is a STAR-made LAUNCHer... so thats where the name came from

 

[therimmer96]

I have just added the Details screen on the launcher for blueprints. This means that if a blueprint is added through StarLaunch and it has a file in it named details.txt, it will display the contents of this file when it is added to a starmade install. This allows for bp's to have builder credit or details/instructions displayed when someone uses it. To add this file, simply create a file named details.txt in the blueprints folder, then export it in the usual manner. StarLaunch will give the ability to create these files when you export a blueprint through it if one does not already exist. This will work for ships added by opening the sment or navigating to the file from starlaunch itself.

 

[rocketman221]

That cause is already lost. (See the ".NET 4.5" there?)

I didn't notice that before. I guess I will just have to write my own launcher then.

 

[therimmer96]

I didn't notice that before. I guess I will just have to write my own launcher then.

After the first release, we will start a ground up rewrite, probably in java to make it so that it is cross platform for mac and linux versions

 

[Ghent96]

Sounds great so far; I'll continue to watch this.

 

[therimmer96]

Sounds great so far; I'll continue to watch this.

Thanks

Starlaunch version 1 should be out today or tomorrow